As our clients will attest, we’re a pretty creative group of people. Clients praise our fresh ideas, journalists respond to our creative pitches, and our people are full of imagination. Yet, I’ve worked with people who didn’t always connect the dots between creative juices and actions/results – leaving me to ponder what role pie in the sky thinking plays in our business.
“We need… to dispel the misconception that to be imaginative and creative means to proceed without limitations of any kind, to do whatever you want,” say Michelle and Robert Root Bernstein, authors of the blog Imagine That. The authors go on to say “…creative imagination works best when faced with explicitly understood constraints.”
We agree. That’s why we apply one constraint: will it work? By putting all creative ideas through a series of tough interviews, we conduct our due diligence to determine whether a new concept is appropriate. Can the idea be executed? Can we make this vision come to life with the resources available? Is it the right scale? Does it accomplish the goal(s)? Can it be measured?
We love creative thinking, entrepreneurial approaches and the energy that brainstorming provides. Most importantly, we love connecting creative communications programs to measurable business results. After all, like our clients, many of us enjoy a good pie – apple, blueberry, pumpkin is a particular favorite this time of year – but we prefer it à la mode, not in the sky.